Automatic manifolding collator and carbon assembly



Nov. 19, 1935. J. Q. SHERMAN I AUTOMATIC MANIFOLDING COLLATOR AND CARBONASSEMBLY Filed Dec. 2.1, 1931 Patented Nov. 19, 1935 UNITED STATESAUTOMATIC MANIFOLDING COLLATOR AND CARBON ASSEMBLY John Q. Sherman,Dayton, Ohio Application December 21, 1931, Serial No. 582,380

9 Claims.

This invention relates to manifolding apparatus, and more particularlyto a typewriter attachment and method of operation for repetitiouslyemploying short lengths of carbon or transfer sheets with continuousmulti-form or series connected stationery.

The present invention is a further development and amplification of theapparatus and method of operation illustrated and described inco-pending application of John Q. Sherman, Serial No. 565,591, filedSeptember 28, 1931.

For increased efficiency and rapidity of operation, it has become quitecommon practice to employ continuous strips of multiple forms arrangedin superposed relation and fed through a writing machine, the writtenportions of which are detached at predetermined intervals upontransverse division or score lines. Usually such continuous recordstrips are interleaved with like strips of one-time transfer or carbonmaterial which, after being once used, is discarded. In lieu of suchcontinuous carbon strips, the use of which is expensive and involvesgreat waste and economic loss, it has been proposed to employ packets oftransfer sheets carried in holders of various forms, through which therecord strips are threaded and which must be manually retracted andreadjusted between succeeding writing operations.

The present apparatus enables an ordinary typewriter to be .convertedinto a billing machine for use of such continuous multi-iorm stationery,andenables the use therewith of ordinary carbon sheets which, beinginitially interleaved between the superposed record strips in properregistry with the terminal printed forms or sheet sections to beinscribed, are automatically fed through the writing machine in unison.with the advance of the record strips indepedently of the stripssucceeding forms or writing sections 'ofthe sheets and returnedtherewith to the writing machine for the next writing operation.

Whereas in the co-pending application before referred to,- the transferstrips are engaged at the forward side of the platen after they havepassed writing position and held in their advanced position while therecord strips are advanced relative thereto to present the succeedingforms in registry with the transfer sheets, after which the strips andtransfer sheets are retracted in unison'into the writing position, the Ipresent construction operates in somewhat reverse order, the assembly ofrecord strips and interleaved transfer sheets being retracted in unisonafter completion of the writing operation and the margins of thetransfer sheets gripped at the rear or feeding side of the platen roll,such sheets being held stationary while the recand then retractedintoregistry with the ord strips are advanced relative thereto until thesucceeding forms are in registry with the transfer sheets and thewritten portions of the strips advanced to tear-off position, whereuponthe transfer sheets are released and the entire 5 assembly of strips andinterleaved transfer sheets is advanced past the writing position, whilemanifolded impressions are made thereon.

The object of the invention is to simplify theconstruction as well asthe means and mode of 10 operation of manifolding apparatus whereby itwill not only be cheapened in construction, but will be more emcient inuse, convenient, accurate and uniform in operation and unlikely to getout of repair.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for facilitatingthe shifting of transfer or carbon material out of and into registrywith succeeding sets of superposed forms.

A further object of the invention is to provide 2 improved means andmethod of operation wherein the transfer or record material ismechanically shifted relative to each other after each writing operationto present the transfer material in registry with succeeding sets ofmulti-forms or record sheets, and whereby registry of the transfermaterial therewith is automatically maintained.

A further object of the invention is toprovide a simple andinexpensivejwriting machine attachment for intermittently holding theends of the record strips during relative movement of the transfersheets and thereafter releasing the record strips for detachment of theused portions thereof.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view, as willmore fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of thefeatures of construction, the parts and combinations thereof and'themode of operation, or their 40 equivalents, as hereinafter described andset forthin the claims.

Referring to the accompanying v drawing, wherein is shown the preferredform but obviously not necessarily the only forms of the embodiment ofthe invention, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional form oftypewriter to which the present apparatus has been applied. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the apparatus, forming the subject matter N hereof,removed from the writing machine. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of thetransfer sheets removed from the assembly.

Like parts are i dicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe several views.

The present invention is applicable to manifolding apparatus of variousforms including typewriters, billing machines, aiitographic registersand other forms of recording mechanisms. For illustrative purposes butwith no intent to co tially in alinement with the in limit the inventionor its application, it has been herein shown and will be described asapplied to a conventional form of typewriter I, the platen roll 2 ofwhich has been provided with feeding pins 3 for uniformly feedingmarginally punched stationery in continuous strip form which is suppliedfrom a traveling carrier 4 operatively coupled to and reciprocating inunison with the typewriter platen carriage 5. Such traveling carriageprovides a convenient storage space for superfolded forms to preventtheir disarrangement or mutilation.

The record material comprises successions of forms orrecord sheetspreferably, but not necessarily, marginally punched at 8 andinterconnected end to end into continuous strip formation as at 5, suchstrips being superfolded one upon the other with succeeding forms orrecord sheets in registry with those of contiguous strips, the severalsuperposed strips being transversely scored or perforated at spacedintervals as at 8' for separation into separate sheets or sections andpreferably, though not necessarily, superfolded at spaced intervalsreversely in proximate relation with such transverse score lines intozigzag formation, thereby forming a supply packet I to be located in thetraveling carriage 4. The transfer or carbon material for use with suchcontinuous interconnected stationery strips comprises a plurality ofsheets of approximately the length of succeeding forms or record sheetscomprising the continuous strip 6 but of somewhat greater width thansuch strips whereby the transfer sheets 9 project marginally beyond therecord strips at opposite sides thereof.

While for convenience the assembly of transfer sheets 9, of whichthere'may be any number to correspond with the number of continuousstrips 6 being employed, may be interconnected into a unitary assemblyby sewing, stapling or gluing such sheets at one corner or along onemargin thereof leaving the remaining margins of the sheets free tofacilitate their interleaved assembly between the superposed recordstrips or along both margins if desired, such transfer sheets arepreferably entirely independent of each other.

The transfer sheets 9 are marginally punched at l2 for engagement overthe pins of the feeding device. Such holes l2 in the transfer sheetsnecessarily register with each other and with like punched feeding holesin the margins of the over and underlying record strips through whichregistering holes the feeding pins 3 engageto positively and accuratelyadvance the record strips past writing forms in registry with eachother. The several sheets of interleaved transfer material may, ifdesired, be interconnected along opposite side inargins or at oppositecorners, in which case the ,record strips must be threaded between the/sheets. Otherwise the arrangement and operation isthe same as when thesheets are independent of each other.

Extending upwardly and rearwardly substantake side of the platen roll isa guide plate or table l4 over which the superposed record strips areadvanced in their travel from the supply packet to the writing position.That is to say, in the present construction the record strips passoverthe table l4 before being inscribed, whereas in'the formerconstruction eferred to they pass over the table after having passedbeyond the wri ing p sition.

position with the superposed While the guide plate or table l4 may bemounted upon and carried by the traveling carriage of the writingmachine as illustrated and described in the former application forpatent, such plate or table is here shown mounted upon and carried bythe traveling paper supply carrier 4.

The guide plate or table I4 is shown mounted upon the traveling carrier4 by adjustable arms l5 carried by the rod l6 which forms a part ofv thecoupling yoke between the supply carrier 4 and the traveling carriage ofthe writing machine.

Mounted at each side of the upper and rear portion of the guide plate I4is a pair of gripper members comprising a stationary gripper ll carriedupon the plate or table I 4 and a pivoted gripper member l8 co-operatingtherewith. The pivoted grippers 3 are actuated into engagement with themargins of the transfer sheets interposed between the gripper members I!and I8 by springs I9. The movable grippers 18 are normally held elevatedand inoperative by cam fingers 20 carried upon a rock shaft 2| andadjustedby a finger trip arm 22 on said rock shaft.

The superposed record strips and interleaved transfer sheets areadvanced in unison past the writing position by the rotation of theplaten roll in the usual manner. When the writing operation is completedthe transfer sheets will have been advanced beyond the platen roll asshown in Fig. 2. The feeding movement of the platen roll is thenreversed and the written portions of the strips and transfer sheets areretracted in unison until they are again positioned upon the guide plateI 4 with the transfer sheets beyond the platen roll and with the extremeends of their marginal portions interposed between the gripper membersI! and I8. The finger lever 22 is then operated to release the movablegrippers i8 by oscillating the cams 20 out of engagement with thegrippers l8'which thereupon clamp the projecting margins of the transfersheets. While the sheets 9 are thus held stationary, the platen is againoperated to advance the superposed strips independently of the transfersheets until the succeeding set of printed forms upon the strips isdrawn into registry with the transfer sheets. By the same advancemovement the inscribed portions of the strips are advanced to thetear-off position without the transfer sheets therebetween. Upon releaseof the transfer sheets by readjustment of the grippers IS, the assemblyis ready for the succeeding writing operation.

To facilitate the feeding of the record strips past the transfer sheetsand the retractive movement of the transfer sheets about the platenroll, the transfer sheets are preferably though.

not necessarily trimmed to an obtuse angle as at 23. Such shape enablesthe folds of the record strips to pass over the ends of the transfersheets without interference and greatly facilitates the adjusting orcollating operation.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but whichobviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions,detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply withthe statute the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,it is to ,and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred formof several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the inventionis therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within thelegitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.-

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a writing machine including feedingmeans foradvancing multi superposed strips of record material having interleavedsheets of transfer material in unison past writing position, a guidesupport over which the strips and transfer sheetstravel, spacingmechanism for deflecting the transfer sheets away from said guidesupport so as to permit the free movement of the record stripsindependently of the transfer sheets and retarding means associated withsaid spacer mechanism for retarding the travelof the transfer sheetsrelative to the record strips.

2. The combination with a writing machine including feeding means foradvancing multi superposed strips of record material having interleavedsheets of transfer material in unison past writing position, a guideplate over which the strips and transfer sheets are fed, and. spacermeans mounted upon said guide plate for deflecting the transfer sheets.therefrom so as to permit the free movement of the record stripsindependently of the transfer sheets.

3. The combination with a writing machine including feeding means foradvancing multi superposed strips of record material having interleavedsheets of transfer material in unison past writing position, a guidesupport over which the strips of record material and sheets of transfermaterial travel while being fed past .writing position and spacermechanism associated with said guide support for deflecting the transfersheets away from said guide support so as to'permit the free movement ofthe record strips independently of the transfer sheets. 4. Thecombination with a writing machine including feeding means for advancingmulti superposed strips of record material'having interleaved sheets oftransfer material in unison past writing position, a, guide plate overwhich the stripsof transfer sheets advance and gripper means located inproximity to the guide plate and engageable with the lateral margins ofvthe transfer sheets for holding said sheets stationary while the recordstrips are moved relative thereto, said gripper means including spacermechanism for deflecting. the transfer sheets from said guide plate soas to permit the free movement of the record strips independently of thetransfer sheets.

5. The combination with a writing machine including feeding means foradvancing multi superposed strips of record material having interleaved.sheets of transfer material in unison past writing position, a guidesupport over which, the strips and transfer sheets advance while beingfed past the writing position and gripper means located in proximity tothe guide support and engageable with the lateral margins of thetransfer sheets for holding said sheets stationary while the recordstrips are shifted relative thereto, said gripper means including spacermechanism for deflecting the transfer sheets away from said guidesupport so as to permit free movement of the record strips independentlyof the transfer sheets;

6. The combination with a writing machine'in cluding feeding means foradvancing multiple superposed record strips and interleaved transfersheets in unison past a writing position, a-guide plate leading to theintake side ofthe feedingf means over which the strips and transfersheets advance to the writing position, and means'for retarding thetravel of the transfer sheets ther'e overjrelative to the travel of therecord strips whereby the record strips are projected in advance of thetransfer'sheets, said retarding 'mea'nsincluding spacer mechanism forspacing the transfer sheets away from said guide so as to permit thefree advancementof the record strips independently of the transfersheets.

7. The herein described method of utilizing relatively short sheets oftransfer material inter-' leavedbetween superposed record stripsconsist= ing in retracting the record strips and interleaved transfersheets in unison from writing position'te a position at the supply sidethereof, deflecting the transfer sheets to permit the record'- strips toseparate holding the transfer sheets immovable at the supply side of thewriting position,'advanc ing the record strips relative to thedeflected'sta tionary transfer sheets until succeeding portions" of thestrips are brought into registry with the transfer sheets preparatory tothe succeeding o'peration and advancing the record strips and n:terleaved transfer sheets in unison past the writ ing position.

8. The herein described manifolding method of utilizing relatively shortsheets of transfer material interleaved between superposed strips ofrecord material each comprising a succession of writing sectionsconsisting in advancing the transfer sheets and strips in unison past awriting position in which manifolded inscription is made thereon,retracting the inscribed portions of the strips and interleaved transfersheets in unison from writing portions, deflecting the margins of thetransfer material to permit separation of the record strips advancingthe inscribed portions of the strips past writing position independentlyof thev transfer sheets until succeeding writing sections'of the stripsare in registry with the transfer sheets preparatory to the succeedingwriting operation and then advancing the record strips and interleavedtransfer sheets in unison into writing position to receive furtherinscription.

9. The herein described manifolding method of utilizing relatively shortsheets of transfer material interleaved between superposed strips ofrecord material each comprising a succession of writing sections ingposition in which manifolded inscription is made thereon, consisting inretracting the record strips and interleaved transfer sheets in unisonJOHN Q. SHERMAN.

consisting in advancing the transfer sheets and strips in unison past awritto receive further mani-

